Switch



.1. ROSAY Mar ch 9, 1937.

SWITCH Filed Sept. 20, 1934 5 use 3% foaay BY 2% IN V EN TOR.

A TTORNEYS.

Patented Mar. 9, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT GFFICE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to a switch, more particularly a switch having a plurality of pairs of contacts for the actuation of several selected circuits, and the invention has for one of its objects an arrangement by which a plurality of the pairs of contacts may be actuated by a single motor.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a switch which may be manually controlled as Well as motor controlled with the control of one independent in many respects from the control of the other.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a time switch which will be automatically moved to disconnect the circuit at the end of a certain time interval after the contacts are engaged.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a plurality of switches which may be mounted in such a manner that any number may be assembled with a single motor for actuating them.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a container for readily and quickly assembling and housing a motor and a plurality of switches.

A further object of the invention is the provision of such a means that the time element may be adjusted to vary the length of time that the switch is in closed position.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, as will be more fully described, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a sectional view of my switch shown with the contacts separated;

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the contacts closed;

Fig. 3 is a sectional View on line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the contact units showing one side thereof;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the same structure showing the other side thereof;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the motor unit;

Fig. '7 is a diagrammatic View of a modified construction of contact unit;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of a fragmental portion of the container showing an adjustment for varying the time interval.

In the use of time switches, it is usual to provide a motor for each set of a pair of contacts, or such a connection between motor and manu l operating lever that one is not independent of the other, and in order that these disadvantages may be overcome, I have provided a construction by which a single motor may operate any desired number of fixed and movable contacts for the controlling of a plurality of diiierent circuits, and I have so arranged the contacts that one may be separated without disturbing the motor and the other contacts or all may be disconnected manually if desired, and I have so arranged a container for these parts that the assembly is very much simplified and yet a convenient package for storing the parts is provided; and the following is a more detailed description of the present embodiment of this invention, illustrating the preferred means by which these advantageous results may be accomplished:

With reference to the drawing, [0 designates a body plate or support upon which I have mounted a fixed contact II and have provided a movable contact l2 which is mounted upon arm [3 pivoted as at It and swung by means of a spring l5 engaging the arm on the opposite side of the pivot from the contact l2 so as to cause separation of the contacts l8 and H.

A member i6 is pivoted as at l! and is provided with a projection l8 located in a position to engage the end 59 of the lever is and swing it about its pivot it against the tension of the spring so as to cause the contacts H and E2 to engage. In so swinging about its pivot, the tooth portion 2! of this lever l3 moves from notch 2| to notch 22 in the latch 23 which is pivoted as at 24 and swung toward the tooth 2G by a spring 25. Thus, the contacts, by means of this latch, are held in engaged position against the tension of the spring 65. The projection I8 on the camming member l 6 is located in such a position that it is beneath the end 26 of the latch 25 so that when this member is moved about its pivot I! in the direction of the arrow 21, the latch will be lifted from the tooth 29, permitting the contacts to quickly spring apart under the action of the spring l5.

In order to provide a convenient means of actuating the member I6, I have provided a lever 28 having handle portion 29 which is formed as an integral part of the member 16, although it may be separate therefrom and attached thereto, if desired, so as to manually move the member Hi to cause engagement or disengagement of the contacts H and I2.

A duplicate arrangement of contacts and lever is provided on the opposite side of the plate or body member H3, and any desired number of pairs of contacts may be similarly formed to be assembled with the plates Ill upon which they are mounted in parallelism as desired, for controlling 5 a number of circuits desired.

These switch units are assembled with a motor unit designated generally 30 and provided with an arm SI which extends across the path of travel of the several levers 28 so that as any one of the levers 28 is moved to throw the contacts H and I2 into engagement, the arms 3! will be moved to swing a lever 32, thereby tensioning the spring 33 and setting in operation a clockwork mechanism designated generally 34 and provided with a suitable escapement 35 to permit the arm 3i to be slowly moved in the direction of the arrow 2! and return the actuating lever 28 to its initial starting position.

As the lever is about to complete its return to its initial starting position, the latch will be tripped and the contacts will be separated. However, should it be desired to throw off the contacts prior to the motor moving the lever to its starting position, it will be merely necessary to engage the handle 29 of the lever and move it to starting position, thereby tripping the latch and disconnecting or separating the contacts II and I2. This arm 3! will move to the initial starting position all of the levers or any one of these may be moved to starting position independently, as desired; thus, I may utilize this single motor for any one of a number of levers and contacts, as desired.

In order that the assembly of the motor and contact units may be conveniently had, I have provided a box-like container 35 consisting of opposite side walls 37 and 38 and opposite end walls 39 and 46. The motor unit is provided with a frame-like structure 4| and is arranged 40 to be housed between the side wall 31 and projecting ribs 43 on the end walls. The switch unit I0 may be assembled therewith by being inserted between ribs 54 and 45 on the opposite end walls, the arrangement being such that the arm 3| 45 will be positioned behind the levers 26 which may extend through a suitable cover 46 on the top of the box, thus these two diiferent units are assembled into a single unit for convenient actuation.

50 In Figure 7 I have illustrated a modified form of contact unit, there being provided a plate H], as heretofore, upon which there are mounted fixed contacts and 5| which are bridged by a movable contact 52. This movable contact is 55 secured to an arm 53 which is pivoted as at 55 and provided with a cam edge 55 with a shoulder 56 to be engaged by a spring 51 for holding the contact in position with the contacts 56 and 5|, there being a spring 58 tending to move the contact 52 from such bridging position.

A member 59 provided with a lever arm 60 is also pivotally mounted upon the shaft 54 and is provided with a pin 6| extending into a slot 62 in the portion 55 so that as the lever is swung 65 in the direction of the arrow 63, the pin will be engaged by the back of the slot and move the arm 53 and its contact 52 into bridging position. When the arm 69 is moved in the direction opposite to the arrow 63, the pin will be engaged by 70 the opposite end of the slot and the contact 52 will be moved or separated from the portions 56 and. 5|.

When the arm 6|] is moved in the direction opposite to the arrow 63, a pin 64 will engage the spring 5'! to lift its end from the shoulder 56, thereby permitting spring 58 which acts on pin 65 to throw the arm 52 so as to disconnect the contacts 56 and 5!.

The motor arm 3! extends into a slot 55 in the arms or levers 60 so that as the lever is moved, the end of the slot 61 engages the arm 3| and actuates the motor, the slot being of sufficient length to permit one lever 60 to be thrown to separate its contacts without disurbing another lever so that a plurality of levers may be assembled with the single motor.

When the handle 29 is engaged and moved to actuate the motor, it may be swung to the very end of the slot in the top wall 46 of the box or as illustrated in Figure 8 when a shorter time interval is desired, in which the circuit will be completed, a graduated slide 75 may be moved to various positions and there be secured by a thumb nut H so as to shorten the throw of the lever 28 and consequently shorten the time during which the contacts will be in engagement to close the circuit. The graduation l2, when set opposite the fixed mark 13, may indicate the number of seconds during which the contacts may be closed.

One use for this device is on an automobile for indicating the direction the vehicle is about to take. The driver will operate the selected lever 28 a few hundred feet before a turn to the right, and the indicator will be set. He may then forget it and the contacts will separate and the parts returned to normal just after the turn has been made. Should the driver change his mind and wish to turn to the left, he may push back to starting the turn to the right lever and then operate the turn to the left lever, indicating his change and this turn to the left lever will be automatically returned, as above explained.

The foregoing description is directed solely towards the construction illustrated, but I desire it to be understood that I reserve the privilege of resorting to all the mechanical changes to which the device is susceptible, the invention being defined and limited only by the terms of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A switch comprising a body, a fixed contact thereon, a movable contact, resilient means tending to separate said contacts, a member engaging said movable contact to, move it into engagement with said fixed contact, a latch for holding said movable contact in such engaged position, said member being provided with means to trip said latch when moved in the opposite direction and cause said resilient means to function to separate said contacts.

2. A switch comprising a body, a fixed contact thereon, a movable contact, resilient means tending to separate said contacts, a member engaging said movable contact to move it into enthereon, a movable contact, resilient means tending to separate said contacts, a member engaging said movable contact to move it into engagement with said fixed contact, a latch for holding said movable contact in such engaged position, said member being provided with means to I trip said latch when moved in the opposite direction and cause said resilient means to function to separate said contacts, a motor having an arm for moving said member in said opposite direction, and a lever for moving said member in both directions.

4. A switch comprising a body, a plurality of units each comprising fixed and movable contacts mounted thereon, resilient means tending to separate said contacts, a member provided with a lever for moving the movable contact into engagement with the fixed contact, a latch for holding said movable contact in such engaged position, said member being provided with means to trip said latch when moved in the opposite direction, a motor provided with an actuating arm extending across the path of travel of the levers of said plurality of units to be engaged thereby for actuating said motor to move the arm for returning the levers to starting position.

JOSEPH ROSAY. 

